Bandai Namco's Ace Combat 7 is finally out on Nintendo Switch, and by all accounts, it seems like it's a pretty successful port. In our own review, we called it the "absolute pinnacle of the series" and the "most comprehensive portable experience", awarding it a hefty score of 9/10. If you want to read more of our thoughts, check out the full review below.
The chaps over at Digital Foundry have now provided an in-depth look at the tech involved with the Switch port, highlighting some of the required shortcomings needed to get the game running properly.
First up, foliage has taken an understandable hit, with grass looking more patchy, fewer trees popping up, and shadows eliminated when compared to the game on Xbox. Reflections have also been altered, and lighting isn't quite so realistic, making some areas, such as the cockpit view, look a little flat at times.
Resolution has also seen a slight downgrade, naturally, while effects such as motion blur seem to be absent on the Switch. That said, DF highlights that the visuals on Switch are, on the whole, pretty good and it's only when comparing side-by-side with other platforms that you begin to notice the concessions.
In terms of frame rate, the Switch version is locked at 30fps, and despite DF's efforts, the team couldn't spot many drops at all, with only one instance in which the plane crashed into the terrain producing any kind of noticeable hiccup. By comparison, the game on Xbox is targeted at 60fps, but it rarely hits this, resulting in an experience that is actually a lot choppier than on Switch.
All in all, then, we'd say Bandai Namco did a stellar job with this one!
